Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 5

The Description of the Worship of Rāma and Others

Rāmādi-pūjā-vidhāna

Devanagari script

सर्वेषु राममंत्रषु ह्यतिश्रेष्टः षडक्षरः । ब्रह्महत्यासहस्राणि ज्ञाताज्ञातकृतानि च ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

sarveṣu rāmamaṃtraṣu hyatiśreṣṭaḥ ṣaḍakṣaraḥ | brahmahatyāsahasrāṇi jñātājñātakṛtāni ca || 5 ||

Translation

رام کے تمام منتروں میں چھ اَکشر والا منتر نہایت برتر ہے؛ یہ جان بوجھ کر یا بے خبری میں کیے گئے برہماہتیا جیسے ہزاروں گناہوں کو مٹا دیتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• सर्वेषु: among all
• सर्वेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• राममन्त्रेषु: among Rama-mantras
• राममन्त्रेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रामस्य मन्त्राः)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/हेतु-प्राय (indeed/for)

• अतिश्रेष्ठः: supremely excellent
• अतिश्रेष्ठः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of षडक्षरः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः (अति-श्रेष्ठः = exceedingly best)

• षडक्षरः: the six-syllabled (mantra)
• षडक्षरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (षट् अक्षराणि यस्य/षडक्षरः = six-syllabled mantra)

• ब्रह्महत्यासहस्राणि: thousands of brahma-hatya sins
• ब्रह्महत्यासहस्राणि: Karma (कर्म/Object, implied with elided verb like नश्यन्ति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्महत्या + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्महत्यायाः सहस्राणि = thousands of brahma-murder (sins))

• ज्ञाताज्ञातकृतानि: committed knowingly or unknowingly
• ज्ञाताज्ञातकृतानि: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of ब्रह्महत्यासहस्राणि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञात + अज्ञात + कृत (कृ-धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (ज्ञातं च अज्ञातं च = knowingly and unknowingly; कृतानि = done)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थ (and)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Rama

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It elevates the six-syllabled Rāma-mantra as a supreme prāyaścitta, teaching that sincere mantra-japa can purify even the heaviest karmic stains, including grave sins done knowingly or unknowingly.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

By presenting Rāma’s name/mantra as the highest means of purification, the verse frames devotion expressed through japa as both a devotional act and a transformative spiritual discipline.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It implies disciplined mantra-prayoga—attention to akṣara-count (ṣaḍ-akṣara), correct recitation, and regulated japa—practices aligned with Śikṣā (phonetics) and Vyākaraṇa (sound/word precision) in mantra usage.